The farm and farmhouse

About Me

Hi! Im a wife in my low twenties, living on a farm in the Midwest. Just trying to make ends meet and save for our future as we remodel our old farmhouse, and stay out of debt.
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As of November 2018

Archive for April, 2017

I am FINALLY caught up on all my extra expenses. I was able to pay the credit cards to $0 and still had $75 left over which I sent to the LOC. $75 seems like a drop in the bucket when the total is going to be over $100k but I guess every little bit helps.

I also got a goat deposit, and some puppy money. So I added $100 to vacation and $50 to the animal fund.

Thankful to be caught up. Just in time to pay for 3yr vaccines for two of the cats. (May is shot discount month) And also be able to take off work for vacation without stressing about money.

I can't say enough about how great it is to save for a vacation ahead of time instead of relying on credit cards and paying later. I don't feel nearly as bad splurging a bit without guilt if I know the money is there and earmarked. It also helps you keep to a budget if you have the cash in hand and don't spend more than you have. I highly recommend cash only vacations.

For a low income, young couple; my husband and I have really went on quite a few large vacations since we have been married. We have went to Charleston, Savannah, Mount Rushmore, the Badlands, Albuquerque, Yellowstone, Smokey Mountains, Florida, etc, some of these places multiple times in only 5 years. This vacation will be our most expensive at $2,000. Travel doesn't have to be expensive. You plan ahead, purchase tickets and rental cars at the right time, cook your own meals, be willing to camp or stay with friends, etc. We have got to do several once in a lifetime opportunities by doing thrifty shopping, or having friends/family across the country. Think outside the box with travel!

Home addition is still going fine. It is exciting to see progress. We have a basement now.

Got my new $5 raise this paycheck so that was nice to help me catch up on some credit card bills. Another week or two and I will be caught up on everything and be able to start funneling to the remodel. In just a couple weeks it will be time to start working on the interior.

Vacation is only about a month away. Plane tickets, rental car, and home are all ordered and paid for. Just need to purchase/pay for whatever attractions we are going to, and food while there.

Purchased a few much needed clothing items such as a swim suit top. Can't go to the beach without a swim suit! I got a $50 top for only $17!

May have to go shopping once more because I couldn't find everything I needed but first I want to go through all my clothes and purge/inventory check.

My house is a major disaster. I think it is time for a spring cleaning / take everything out and organize. It is hard to keep up with when I work every day, milk/bottle feed goats (which takes 2+ hours a day), care for the rest of the animals, work on the home addition, and try to get some rest time in. House cleaning is definitely what gets slacked on. I need to do better.

Start with the small things. I sold a goat and put that $350 in the animal fund. I sent $250 to my Roth.

Taxes are supposed to be deposited into my account this week for $450 that I will send to the Roth.

Puppy money continues to come in. I upped the vacation fund goal another $500 to give us more wiggle room for fun things.

I am owed $467 for client work. Not sure where I will use this yet.

FINALLY got husband's yearly profit sharing statement. (It is dated December 2016, geez) They contributed over $4,000 this year. So we are now at $10,662 in our account and 80% vested. Husband is worried that means there will be no raises again this year... But we'll see. Hopefully not. It is nice that his employer is contributing more than we are to retirement.

I was brave and asked for a $5 hourly raise from one of my design clients. I got it!

The web design company I work for mainly also mentioned giving me a $10 a hour raise in the near future as soon as funds allow. That means I would be making 3 times the amount per hour than my secretary job... Which brings me to my next point. I asked to reduce my hours to take Tuesdays off permanently. They said okay.

Addition is still on hold due to weather. But it feels nice that my income streams are slowly growing. I am feeling more confident that we can meet most of our goals this year.

My real big picture goal is to get paid enough an hour than I can work less hours and devote more time to living life and enjoying my hobbies, mainly farming.

The only bad news this week is that I have 4 bottle baby goats which need fed every 4 hours, day and night. I also have to get up an hour early to milk goats so I can feed said babies. Which is really hurting my sleep schedule.